Freeing a Flightless Bird
by Blue Rogue Linds
Summary: Masato receives a letter from his father, demanding that he quit STARISH and return home at once. To add insult to injury, he is still trying to overcome the fact that he lost Haruka to his best friend and rival, Ren. The odds are against him, but he resolves to throw off the yoke of his inheritance and live his life the way he sees fit. Eventual Masato/OC.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Uta no Prince-sama or any of its characters, songs, etc. They belong to Broccoli.

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It was the twenty-fourth day of June, and the end of STARISH's first nation-wide tour. The night air that surrounded the hotel was hot, humid and rainy. Random gusts of winds pounded against the panes in Masato's suite like rabid fans demanding entry. But despite all the noise outside, his concentration remained fixed on the paper clutched between his thin fingers.

"Dear Masato," the letter read, "I hope this letter finds you in good health. Jii has informed me of your successful endeavors and graduation from Saotome Academy. Along with my congratulations, I wish to express the urgency of your much-needed return. Our agreement was originally one year, and you have far outlived that. Upon your oath and honor to this family, I hope that you will heed my words. Sincerely, Hijirikawa Masaomi."

The pale youth could smell his father's presence all around the room, that of cigars and old cologne. He slowly tightened his fist and the paper crackled as it succumbed to his grip. But as he raised his hand to toss the letter into a nearby waste basket, his resolve faltered.

"Damn it," he rasped and gnashed his teeth. A shrill gasp escaped him suddenly, and a tiny stream of blood seethed from his tongue. He often bit it by accident when extreme anger or fear invaded his person. The bitter, copper taste of his own blood calmed him, brought him back to control.

"Hey, Masato," A voice boomed from the other side of his door, "how long do you plan on staying cooped up? I have a surprise for you!"

Reluctantly, the young man rose from the edge of his bed and opened the door a crack. One of his band-mates greeted him, one with a reputation for being bothersome.

"Well, what is it?" he asked with a slight sigh.

The older boy slanted his lips into a long frown and replied, "My, my, Masayan, aren't you a perpetual ray of sunshine tonight? Did you forget to eat again?"

Masato grunted and proceeded to shut the door in his face. But Ren's big hands kept it from closing completely, and he forced his way into his friend's room. Genuine concern shone on his face as he glanced around the room for any signs of distress. His eyes twinkled when he spotted the crumpled letter on the bed.

"What's that?" he inquired in a curious tone and reached past Masato to snatch the wad of paper from the mattress. As he started to straighten the paper, his friend tackled him against the wall, making a desperate grab for the letter.

"That's none of your business!"

Shocked by his dramatic reaction, Ren dropped the paper ball into Masato's hand. Anger and embarrassment flashed red across the other boy's face, awakening Ren's sympathy.

"I'm just worried about you," Ren explained in a softer tone, "because you're always carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You have friends for a reason..."

Masato turned his back to the taller boy. "I-I apologize for the outburst."

"You've done nothing wrong," his senior added with a smile and a clap on his shoulder. He quietly observed his friend's shoulders slumping forward and decided to drop the subject for now. Instead, he ruffled Masato's perfectly combed hair and chirped, "I bet you've forgotten all about our arrangements for summer holiday."

A puzzled expression veiled the dark-haired boy's face. "Arrangements...?"

"Ha! I was right," Ren exclaimed with a chuckle, "you _have _forgotten!"

Grumbling, Masato swatted at his rival's hand and inched away from him, determined to keep what little dignity remained to him. "A lot has been going on lately. I have more important things to worry about than our plans for summer hiatus."

Ren shrugged and sidestepped him, humming, "Ah, that's too bad. _Someone _will be very disappointed when you don't show up at the airport with Haruka and I tomorrow."

"But she's still in school and –"

"No, she graduated this past spring," the blond interrupted him again, "and she's been looking forward to seeing all of us again. Besides, I want to introduce her to Haruka."

Additional worry heaped itself upon Masato's growing pile of problems. Would he even feel comfortable around Ren and Haruka as a couple? Had school life changed his visiting friend for the worst? Would she recognize him? How was she handling her disability? What if he accidentally made an off-color remark about it?

"Earth to Masa," Ren droned and snapped his fingers before the other boy's dazed eyes, breaking his trance, "you should get some sleep. We have an early start tomorrow."

Masato bid his friend good night and closed the door, alone with his thoughts at last. As he glanced back at the crumpled letter, he could see his father scowling back at him. He pursed his lips and crossed the room, plucking the paper wad from the carpet where he'd dropped it in his scuffle with Ren.

"Father or not," he spoke in a grave manner and chucked the letter's crushed remains into the waste basket, "no one will stand in the way of my goals. Not after all the work I've done..."

He slipped into his yukata and flopped upon the mattress. Sleep beckoned him but his body refused to comply. Far too many cares and concerns swirled around inside his head. As soon as he rolled over and silenced one, a different one would be screaming in his ear next. Eventually, he yielded to sheer exhaustion and fell into a deep slumber.

Morning came much too soon, and Masato had a difficult time dragging his carcass out of bed. His stiff joints cracked and popped as he lumbered over to the closet. A groan passed his lips as he reached for the clothing he'd selected the night before, sitting near his suitcase. Not long after he'd dressed and combed his unruly hair, a gentle knock came at his door. He called over his shoulder, "I'm already awake, Ren."

"A-Actually, Masato, it's Haruka."

The dark-haired boy's heart stopped. He dropped the comb and straightened his tie before answering the door properly. Haruka was an absolute vision, wearing a simple, white sun dress and matching hat. But she wasn't his, never would be. He didn't have the heart to pursue her lest he hurt Ren in the long run.

"Forgive me, Haruka," Masato spoke with practiced eloquence and bobbed his head in apology, "I mistook you for that bungling rival of mine."

A smile alighted on the girl's lips. "He was going to check on you, but sent me instead. Um, I believe he said something about not wanting to bother you so early in the morning..."

"_Just as innocent as ever," _Masato thought as she studied him for any signs of emotional distress. He simply returned her smile and pushed his bangs away from his eyes, reassuring her, "Whatever Ren told you, disregard it. All I needed was a night's sleep."

"Don't think poorly of him," Haruka said suddenly, startling him with her sincere tone of voice, "he may not show it, but he cares a great deal about you. We both do..."

Her words cut at him like serrated blades, difficult to remove without wounding himself even further. One way or another, he resolved to overcome the cloud of melancholy that had descended over him since Haruka and Ren got together. He swallowed hard and adjusted his tie once more.

"I understand, and I thank you for your kindness."

Haruka didn't look convinced, but she decided to leave it at that. It was obvious that her friend wasn't ready to talk about what was plaguing him with such inner turmoil. Masato was about to say something in extenuation, but Ren bounded down the corridor with his luggage in hand.

"Is everyone ready to hit the road?" he asked with avid enthusiasm.

Masato feigned a chuckle. "Aren't you going to offer to take your girlfriend's bags? Or do I have to remind you of common etiquette yet again?"

"As you wish, My Lord," Ren replied with a sweeping bow and took Haruka's luggage. The couple refrained from kissing and hugging as they normally would. They didn't have to. Their ardent gazes spoke volumes. It hurt, but Masato quietly acknowledged their consideration of him.

The ride to the airport was long and arduous. Haruka was busy trying to contain her claustrophobia; she detested riding in large vehicles like limousines. Ren attempted to keep his hands off of his lovely girlfriend, and Masato endeavored to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. His father's adamant request to return home still haunted him. He resolved to ignore the letter's demands, but couldn't shake the guilty feeling left over from his decision.

"A-All these people..." Haruka staggered out of the car and leaned heavily on Ren, who supported her by wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He drew her nearer and whispered to her,

"This is a good thing, remember? Together, we'll rid you of that fear of crowded places. So don't worry, I'm right here..."

His words eased Haruka's tension and she relaxed in his strong embrace. Masato walked beside them, silent as the grave. Ren would glance back at him ever so often to see if he was still there, but didn't say a word to him. The purpose of their holiday was to forget about everything that weighed them down. He only hoped that Masato would allow himself the luxury.

"Ugh, why are there so many people here on a weekday?" The blue-haired boy grunted and fidgeted with his tie.

Ren cast a perturbed look in his direction. "Quit complaining already. You'll upset Haruka."

"D-Don't mind me," Haruka interjected with a weak gasp, "I'll be fine so long as I have you two with me."

That was enough to silence both of them.

The waiting area was worse than the outer terminal; people filled the room to capacity, sitting in chairs, leaning against the wall and some on the floor. Ren's cousin wasn't terribly short, but she would be difficult to spot among the throngs of other passengers.

"Why don't we split up?" Ren suggested and pulled Haruka closer, her body trembling. "The faster we find Sachi and get out of here, the better."

Just as they were about to split up, a familiar voice echoed somewhere nearby, "Over here, Ren!"

All eyes turned toward the back of the room, near the vending machines. A girl almost Haruka's height stood beside one of the machines with luggage at her feet. She didn't resemble the Jinguuji family although she was of relation to them. Her hair was a dark auburn and tied off into two low pigtails. Her eyes weren't the typical oceanic blue, either; they were an olive-green, like her father's.

"Masa, would you help Sachi with her luggage? I've got my hands full at the moment," Ren said with a frown as he glanced back at his girlfriend, who looked as if she were about to faint. Masato nodded and crossed the waiting area to where Sachi stood.

"I-It's good to see you again, Sachi," he spoke slowly and took what few bags she had. Her smile was genuine, and it put his fears about her changing to rest. This was the same girl he grew up with. "Shall we then?"

Sachi shook her head as he offered her his arm. "It's all right. I can walk without any help."

"_She hasn't changed a bit," _Masato groaned inwardly and hooked his arm around hers anyway. She accepted his aid with a huff. Her gait didn't wobble or falter like the last time he saw her. She walked perfectly fine. Now he felt guilty for forcing his kindness on her. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you could –"

The brunette heaved a sigh and chided him, "Why are you sorry? We haven't seen each other in over a year, so you didn't know."

Ren beckoned for them to follow, leaving the waiting room ahead of them with Haruka in tow. Once they cleared the terminal and were outside, Ren pounced on his cousin as if he hadn't seen her in a millennium. He coiled one arm around her shoulders and the other around Haruka's, exclaiming, "This is the girl I've wanted you to meet! Haruka, this is my little cousin Sachi!"

"I-It's very nice to meet you," Haruka sputtered shyly and nodded her head vigorously.

Humbled by her timid greeting, Sachi smiled in return. "Likewise. Ren has told me a lot about you, Miss Nanami. In fact, you're all he ever seems to talk about in his emails."

"Please, call me Haruka. 'Miss Nanami' sounds so formal..." The red-headed girl's voice faded into nothing as she spotted something _odd _about Ren's relative. She didn't realize that she had stared, and Masato cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Is something wrong, Haruka?" he asked.

She shook her head and waved her hands. "N-No! I'm sorry, I just –"

"Were you curious about these?" Sachi inquired and lifted her skirt slightly above her knees, revealing a pair of black braces stretched tightly around her legs. She continued, "I was in an accident as a child, and these have helped me walk again. Without them, I'm a bit wobbly and unbalanced."

Ren leaned in and pinched a hunk of her cheek, laughing. "Isn't she just darling?"

"Stop it, idiot. You're embarrassing her," Masato grumbled and grabbed Ren's arm, dragging him away from the girls. His senior's face lit up like a neon sign, and he seized the opportunity, responding with a snicker,

"How chivalrous of you, Masa!"

Crimson leaped across his friend's face and he immediately protested, "Don't you know when to quit?"

"Why don't we go to the car, Haruka? These two will be at it a while," Sachi offered with a giggle and looped her arm around the taller girl's. The red-head smiled and nodded, walking beside her.

It didn't take long for Ren and Masato to realize that their escorts had abandoned them. Ren simply laughed, but it stunned Masato.

"Come on, Masa, we _were_ a bit annoying," the older boy said with a chuckle. His friend wasn't as amused, though. He briskly walked past Ren, grumbling and fidgeting with his tie. Ren shrugged and followed him to the car where the girls waited.

Haruka was the first to greet them, chirping, "Welcome back!"

"That's a record-breaker for you two. It took you less than five minutes to stop arguing," Sachi added, "and that means you've grown closer in my absence. I'm _so _proud of you."

"Don't give us all the praise! You're a far cry from the quiet, demure girl I used to babysit," Ren replied with a playful grin. He sat beside Haruka and watched Masato reluctantly take his spot near Sachi on the opposite side.

Masato tugged at his collar and coughed. "It's impolite to stare, Ren."

"Oh, I was just lost in thought," the blond hummed and wrapped an arm around Haruka's shoulders, pulling her body into his. He could see the sweat beaded along Masato's forehead and his nails digging into the car's leather interior. He added with a wink, "You and Sachi look awfully cute together."

But Ren didn't get a rise out of Masato this time. The dark-haired boy turned red in the face, but so did the girl sitting beside him. Sachi grabbed the edge of her seat and rebuked her cousin, "Don't say things like that so casually! In _that _respect you haven't changed a bit, Jinguuji Ren!"

Masato's eyes were wide. He stole a glimpse of Sachi as she leaned back in her seat, folded her arms across her chest and faced the window. His hands relaxed and he stopped clawing at the seat. But he didn't dare turn his face towards Sachi lest Ren make another pass at him.

Ren pressed his lips against Haruka's forehead, still wearing a devilish grin. He turned his gaze upon the odd pair before him and mused, _"Guess I'll just have to play Cupid, then."_

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**A/N: **This will be a multi-chaptered project. It was betaed by gakumi. Any and all comments are welcome: Praise, criticism or flames, I could care less. All I ask for is your honest opinion. If you liked it, then tell me why. If you hated it or noticed any mistakes, then give me reasons why. Thank you for your time. :)


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